Taking Action Against Every Form of Antisemitism: Sharing Knowledge, Strengthening Collaboration, and Creating Structures
Today marks the anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel. Since then, according to a recent study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (RFA) from 2026, the number of antisemitic incidents across Europe has been rising and remains at a high level: Antisemitic incidents are part of everyday life for Jews; they occur on campus, and the workplace is also a scene of such incidents. This is a problem affecting society as a whole and extends beyond national borders. As the EVZ Foundation, we stand up for Jewish life at the heart of our society and confront antisemitism in every form and across all areas of society: through projects and programs that build knowledge, enable concrete intervention, and strengthen civic engagement:
“Informed, courageous, committed! A joint initiative against antisemitism” conveys practical knowledge on dealing with antisemitism in the workplace. The free educational formats - lunchtime talks, e-learning courses, blended learning formats, and a digital guide can be integrated into the workday and are proven effective. The project is now being expanded to Poland and France. Together with Czulent and Yahad-In Unum , self-study courses to combat antisemitism tailored to the needs of both countries will be developed by the end of 2027.
With its funding program “Shared Civic Futures” the EVZ Foundation strengthens exchange and cooperation between German and Israeli civil society. Funding is provided for German-Israeli joint projects addressing antisemitism in the digital sphere and visual narratives.
With “Putting Into Practice! Building structures for combating antisemitism”, the EVZ Foundation supports organizations from the fields of sports, the arts, and culture in addressing specific needs for action and sustainably further developing their structures for dealing with antisemitism. Expressions of interest may be submitted until October 25, 2026.
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COMMISSION FOR RECONCILIATION REGARDING THE INJUSTICES COMMITTED AGAINST SINTI AND ROMA AFTER 1945
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A new chapter in the process of coming to terms with NS-Injustice begins: Eight members of the commission have been appointed
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Michael Brand, Parliamentary State Secretary and Federal Government Commissioner for Combating Antiziganism and for the Lives of Sinti and Roma in Germany, has appointed eight members to the Commission for the Examination of Injustices Committed Against Sinti and Roma in the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR after 1945: Mustafa Jakupov, Mirjam Karoly, Jonathan Mack-Sroka, Dr. Verena Meier-Zekić, Sara Paßquali, Dr. Christian Staffa, Prof. Dr. Jens-Christian Wagner, and PD Dr. Jane Weiß. The inaugural meeting will take place on November 3, 2026, in Berlin. The commission will evaluate research and archival materials, initiate its own investigations, and incorporate the experiences of members of the minority into its work through hearings. After all, the discrimination against Sinti and Roma did not end with National Socialism.
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Read the press release 
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NEW CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
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New Ideas for Remembrance: The Education Agenda NS-Injustice is launching its second call for applications
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Organizations have until November 1, 2026, to submit project outlines for innovative projects in extracurricular historical-political education. We’re seeking new, effective ways of conveying knowledge about National Socialism and the Holocaust and translating historical responsibility into the present. Funding will be provided for, among other things, workshops, digital applications, exhibitions, and artistic or biographical approaches.
The projects should primarily target young people up to 35 years of age in Germany and convey fact-based knowledge about NS injustice, particularly from the perspective of victim and persecuted groups.
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Submit your project outlines now!
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Young people remember - committed
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A Place Against Forgetting: The former Weilmünster state asylum becomes a site of remembrance for NS “euthanasia” crimes
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Several thousand people with mental illness as well as physical and intellectual disabilities were deprived of rights, neglected, and murdered in Weilmünster and the Hadamar Killing Center. From now on, a new site of remembrance helps make their story tangible.
As part of YOUNG PEOPLE remember - committed, local young people researched the background of the crimes and artistically incorporated their insights into a collaborative theatrical production. Also at the site of remembrance: Digital image and audio content for an app with eleven stations, a touring exhibition with eleven exhibition panels, as well as dedicated tours that the young participants will independently offer as peer guides in the future.
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Find out more
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events
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Documentary Film “Genya”: On remembrance, forgiveness, and moving forward
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“It is impossible to forgive. But it is also impossible to die without forgiving.” With these words, Yevheniia (Genya) Sydorova (1923–2021) describes an inner conflict that stayed with her throughout her life.
The documentary film “Genya” tells the story of one of the last survivors of the Ravensbrück women’s concentration camp. The Ukrainian director Lesya Kharchenko filmed Genya during the final months of her life, focusing on how she coped with violence and loss – memories of her father's execution, her deportation, and forced labor in Germany are part of Genya’s story. The central question is: Is forgiveness possible after the unforgivable?
The documentary film, which was produced with the support of the EVZ Foundation, will be shown as part of its 25th anniversary celebration, NO TIME TO FORGET. The film will be shown at Bundesplatz Kino in Berlin on November 12, 2026, at 6 p.m., followed by a discussion.
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Sign up and read the Interview with director Lesya Kharchenko
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ANNIVERSITY OF THE EVZ FOUNDATION
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EVZ Histoday: Eight projects on democracy, facts and dignity
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To mark its 25th anniversary, the EVZ Foundation addressed key questions regarding the culture of remembrance, democracy, and historical-political responsibility at its history festival EVZ Histoday.
New forms of engaging with National Socialism have been developed through micro-projects: From podcasts and photo series to digital exhibitions, these projects demonstrate creative solutions to relevant and timely questions. In the coming weeks, we will showcase some of these projects on our social media channels!
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Read the Blog Post about the Histoday
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What does a life of dignity mean when you have experienced persecution, exclusion, and decades of being forgotten?
One of the nine projects funded as part of the anniversary program NO TIME TO FORGET is being implemented by the Jewish Community of Leipzig. It promotes interfaith dialogue and is committed to preserving and transmitting Jewish traditions in the city and region. For example, the community choir participated in the 17th Jewish Week in Leipzig to foster a deeper, long-term societal awareness of responsibility, solidarity, and humanity.
These encounters and active participation in society are an important part of the anniversary program. This is because the life stories of elderly survivors of NS persecution from the countries of the former Soviet Union are often marked by old-age poverty and loneliness. At the same time, they embody a particularly powerful resilience and a strong will to live. These projects not only provide concrete, culturally sensitive everyday support - such as transport services, help with shopping, or access to counseling centers, but also connect their activities with sustainable commemorative work and social participation through intergenerational gatherings.
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Find out more about the funding program 
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Sabina Salimovska, member of the advisory committee of selbst.bestimmt! and Employee at RAA Berlin
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Weeks of action against antigypsyism and in support of the lives of Sinti and Roma are taking place in Germany for the first time from October 5 to November 5, 2026. Many of the projects and organizations funded by the EVZ Foundation are taking part in the weeks of action and will be highlighted across our social media channels over the coming weeks. Through its funding program, selbst.bestimmt!, the EVZ Foundation funds Sinti and Roma self-organizations . We spoke with Sabina Salimovska about this and her engagement for educational equity and the fight against discrimination.
Both our funding program selbst.bestimmt! and the Sinti and Roma weeks of action promote the engagement of Sinti and Roma and their self-organizations. Why is it important to be active? And how do you get involved?
Promoting the engagement of Sinti and Roma and their self-organizations is important because it allows the communities to make their own perspectives, concerns, and experiences visible and represent themselves with self-determination. They advocate for their rights and for social participation. Based on their experiences, concrete solutions can be developed for the challenges that are faced by the communities. Fostering this engagement therefore not only strengthens self-determination, but also promotes social participation and reduces discrimination. In my work, I advocate in particular for the rights of Sinti and Roma children, educational equity, eliminating discrimination, and better access to the education system.
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Read the full interview
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#ForReasons: Event Recommendations and Long Reads on Antisemitism
Antisemitism is neither confined to the fringes of society nor attributable to a single political camp. The debates surrounding the recent elections highlight what has long concerned Jews: Their concerns about rising antisemitism are often not taken seriously. With #ForReasons, we take a more nuanced look and present a range of event recommendations and long reads on antisemitism via our social media channels – for more of a “deep dive” instead of “doomscrolling“.
We have already kicked off the series with a digital lunchtime talk from our funding program “Putting It Into Practice! Building structures for combating antisemitism” on antisemitism in sports, the arts, and culture.
Do you see a concrete need for action within your organization? Then send us your idea by October 25 - we will develop a finished project concept together with selected organizations.
Another event recommendation: This year the Amadeo Antonio Foundation and the Anne Frank Center are organizing the 23rd Weeks of Education and Action Against Antisemitism from October 6 to November 9, 2026. The Weeks of Education and Action connect local initiatives with Jewish communities and nationwide organizations and raise awareness about hatred of Jews. The main focus this year is antisemitism at universities. The program includes a variety of events against hatred of Jews on campus.
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EVZ ACADEMY
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Educational Support Program “Mit Stempel und Unterschrift” [With Stamp and Signature]
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How can historical documents relating to NS forced labor be used in educational work? What do administrative sources reveal, – and what remains invisible? For educators, teachers, and community leaders, the interactive website Mit Stempel und Unterschrift offers an educational support program for their work. Bundled together in a workspace on the EVZ Academy – online platform, it combines historical background knowledge with source criticism, contemporary relevance, and concrete approaches for various learning settings. The accompanying webinar series from October 13, 2026, to May 11, 2027, provides a space to collaboratively test and discuss educational guides. This feedback directly informs further revisions, after which the educational guides will be published in the online platform’s workspace. An online course is already available there that can be completed at your own pace.
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Explore now
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EYES OPEN-CINEMA DAY ON JANUARY 27, 2027
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Registration opens for school cinema and exclusive film premiere on the evening of January 27
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The Eyes Open Cinema Day will take place in Berlin, Halle (Saale), Cologne, and Munich on January 27 and 28, marking the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism.
Using the motto Looking the other way has always been a bad idea, the EVZ Foundation sends a clear signal at a time when our democracy is under threat and creates spaces for encounter, exchange and shared remembrance. Featuring films on the history of National Socialism and its aftermath.
On the evening of January 27, the exclusive film premiere of THE GIRL WITH THE LEICA (directed by: Alina Marazzi, 2026) will be screened simultaneously in all four cities, followed by film discussions with prominent guests from film, culture and society. On the mornings of January 27 and 28, a school cinema program curated by Vision Kino – Network for Film and Media Literacy will be available for students. In addition, to help teachers prepare their students for Cinema Day: a practical guide, extensive teaching materials for all featured films, and online training sessions. Registration for the school cinema is now open!
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School cinema program & Eyes Open Cinema Day: Everything you need to know
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NEW CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
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Become a Film Ambassador for the EVZ Foundation!
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Are you between 18 and 25 years old and want to attend Eyes Open Cinema Day 2027? Are you interested in film, NS history and the culture of remembrance and would like to share your perspective on our channels?
As a film ambassador, you will create your own social media content featuring films from our top-tier “Filmpool” selection and develop the key themes of the Cinema Day, showcase films about NS history and the culture of remembrance as part of our #EVZonScreen content series, and meet and interview filmmakers, guests, and film influencers at the Eyes Open Cinema Day.
Explore posts from our film ambassadors from the previous Cinema day, including contributions. You'll find them here, here and here.
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Apply by October 26!
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NEw PUBLIcATION
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Explore the EVZ Foundation’s activity report! |
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2025 was a significant year for the culture of remembrance – and the 25th anniversary of the EVZ Foundation. As the 2025 activity report shows, the EVZ Foundation continues to advocate for humanitarian support for NS era survivors and takes action against racism and discrimination-more than 80 years after the end of the war. Approaches to combating antisemitism and antigypsyism, as well as educational opportunities for young people, are among the initiatives created by the EVZ Foundation this year. In doing so, the EVZ Foundation’s actions were guided by the need for democratic resilience. This is reflected in the 147 projects that the EVZ Foundation funded in 2025. In addition to podcasts, plays and social media campaigns, there were a variety of creative projects dedicated to the culture of remembrance, education, human rights, survivors, and democratic values, and to combating racism.
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Read now
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CEMAS – CENTER For MONITORING, ANALysis aND STRATEGy
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Antisemitism on Campus
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CeMAS brings together interdisciplinary expertise on the topics of disinformation, right-wing extremism, antisemitism, and conspiracy ideologies. In their new blog post, CeMAS highlights continuities and new dynamics of antisemitism at universities since October 7, 2023. The article shows that antisemitic student groups have become more active and visible since then. Furthermore, Israel-related antisemitism is openly articulated in the academic environment. The focus here is on antisemitic symbols and coded references, protest camps, and boycott campaigns against Israeli universities. Social media plays a central role in mobilization, networking, and the dissemination of antisemitic content. Old antisemitic patterns gain new reach and new forms of organization.
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Read now
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BUNDESVERBAND RIAS E.V.
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Antisemitism in Islamic and Islamist Contexts
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The new publication takes as its starting point a large number of antisemitic terrorist attacks worldwide with an Islamic/Islamist background (according to RIAS’s analysis category) since the start of the Iran War in February 2026. The publication classifies these as the most extreme form of antisemitism while also making it clear that they account for a comparatively small proportion of the documented incidents. The vast majority of incidents fall under the category of offensive behavior involving antisemitic insults. Four distinct sections address antisemitic attitudes, the evaluation of documented incidents, an actor-oriented analysis, and antisemitism and anti-Kurdish racism. The publication aims to contribute to a nuanced examination of a topic that has been the subject of intense public debate since at least October 7, 2023.
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Read now
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OCTOBER 16 AND 17, BERLIN
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EVZ Foundation at the Ukraine Film Festival Berlin |
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The EVZ Foundation is supporting two film screenings - followed by panel discussions and Q&A sessions with the audience - as part of the Ukraine Film Festival Berlin. On October 16, “The Illusion of a Quiet Night” by Olga Chernykh will be screened at the cinema at the Berlin Planetarium. The film tells the story of everyday life in the shadow of Russia's war of aggression and of people finding their way between vulnerability and resilience. Afterwards, the director Olga Chernykh, journalist Gesine Dornblueth, and Nataliya Pryhornytska (EVZ Foundation) will discuss their experiences of the war, societal resilience and the strength to go on living.
On October 17, the documentary “Traces” by Alisa Kovalenko will be screened, followed by a Q&A.
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More information and the complete festival program
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NOVEMBER 05, ESSEN
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EVZ Conversations! NS forced labor in the Ruhr industrial region – dealing with an (in)visible crime
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Millions of people from all the occupied countries of Europe worked in German industry under degrading conditions.
Thousands of people also performed forced labor in Essen, at the hard-coal mine that is now the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a UNESCO monument. Representatives from industry, politics and civil society discuss why the process of coming to terms with the past took so long, what responsibility companies and society bear, and how the injustices of the NS era can be addressed in historical-political education today. On the panel: Dr. Andrea Hohmeyer, Head of Heritage & History | Strategic Communications at EVONIK Industries; Sylvia Löhrmann, Commissioner of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia for Combating Anti-Semitism, for Jewish Life and Remembering Culture; Andreas Kahrs, Director of Whatmatters, and a representative of the organization Zweitzeugen e.V..
In addition, a guided tour of the “Unter Tage, Unter Zwang” [Underground. Under Compulsion] exhibition and HOLO-VOICES, an interactive installation based on the stories of contemporary witnesses will be offered.
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Sign up now
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NOVEMBER 12, Nuremberg
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MemoRails Exhibition at the DB Museum in Nuremberg
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On November 12, the final exhibition of the program funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) called “MemoRails – Stop! Keeping the memory of Nazi persecution alive” opens at the DB Museum Nuremberg. New sites of remembrance have been created at 13 railway stations in Germany, making local history accessible through creative educational formats. The exhibition focuses on five selected projects that exemplify how train stations became places of forced labor, deportations, and persecution during National Socialism. A wide variety of results are showcased, including scrollytelling pieces, films, and audio features. QR codes lead directly to the digital project results.
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Find out more about the program
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| issue 11/2026 |
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| Our next issue comes out at the beginning of November! |
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| Once again, the upcoming issue will present the themes and content of the Education Agenda NS-Injustice: dates, updates, and outcomes of EVZ projects. |
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| All issues at a glance
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Stiftung Erinnerung,
Verantwortung und Zukunft
Friedrichstraße 200
10117 Berlin, Germany
T +49 (30) 25 92 97-0
F +49 (30) 25 92 97-11
Website
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Responsible:
Dr. Andrea Despot and Jakob Meyer
Editorial:
Sophie Ziegler, Katrin Kowark, Jana Bültge, Meret Aupperle, Dana Dramsch, Nina Kraus, Roos Poncelet, Ludwika Arena
Image Credits:
Christian Rothe, Juliia Weber, Stefanie Loos, Leona Goldstein, Sebastian Garbsch, Emanuel Barica
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